"Sounds good... Yeah, we're up... So we can get up the road now?"
I heave an irritated sigh when the answer is technically no, but Jay's quick to add that the rangers left the gate open with a comment to Leo about the jeep being just the right shade of green to blend in with the forest.
The rangers have been good to us. Local PD, however, is still acting like the team's presence here is a bigger problem than missing hikers.
"We'll meet you there at ten, then."
Ending the call, I drop the phone on the cushions of the couch that served as more than a place to sleep last night.
The drive up to the trailhead takes a while, but there's still more than enough to time to join Arizona in her shower and then swing by the little bakery I saw when I was picking up supplies in town last night.
Arizona
When I wokeup to Talon answering the phone with his military voice, I wasn't sure where we stood after last night.
Maybe it was just stress relief-- for both of us. I don't know. Casual sex isn't really in my repertoire. Then again, neither is meaningful, commitment sex. Or any kind of sex really, outside of a few heavy make out sessions that never went any further.
Then Talon's fingers moved over the curves of my naked body, fully visible in the morning light pouring through the cabin windows while I tried to sneak out of the pull out bed without making the frame squeak loud enough for whoever was on the phone to get suspicious.
Seeing the heat in his eyes as they moved over my exposed skin had me feeling less self-conscious and more disappointed that our morning hadn't started differently.
Talon made up for that when he joined me in the shower minutes later.
Now it's time to get back to reality, with Talon filling me in on what his phone call was about while we make a quick stop in town for breakfast.
"Oh good." I'm pleased to see the pharmacy open just across the street from the little bakery that Talon stops at. "I need to pop in there real quick," I explain, "I'll be right back."
Talon's eyes take in the name on the building I point to and I wonder what all those thoughts are that match the micro-expressions racing over his face before he nods like he's settled on one he likes.
"Any preferences?" He ask, pointing back to the bakery.
"Coffee...and, um... cinnamon rolls if they have cream cheese frosting. Or any kind of croissant."
Fifteen minutes later, a small packet is tucked in my pocket while I savor the best iced coffee I've ever tasted and make a ritual of unrolling the giant cinnamon roll to eat it in two inch strips.
Talon drives us up the mountain, telling me more about the plan for the day between bites of a ham and cheese croissant.
"Leo's going to meet us at the gate and we'll ride up in the Jeep. We got the okay to retrieve your camp gear, and Sag wants to get video of you walking us through a recreation of what you saw."
We reach the parking lot. The Jeep is parked on the other side of the gate, the guy with the blonde ponytail and the rough beard sitting at the wheel, watching something on his phone.
"Hey." Before either of us get out of Talon's SUV, Talon's hand reaches across for mine, holding it firmly. "I'm the newguy here, I don't know these guys much better than you do and the guy we work for didn't really mention the rules on falling for someone we're supposed to be protecting."
He squeezes my hand.
"Just want you know that I've got a job to do here. But that doesn't change anything between us."
I must nod or maybe I give him a goofy grin-- whatever my reaction is, it seems to please Talon because he smiles before we each climb out of the car and get into the Jeep.
I don't remember anything about the drive up the old logging road except the promise of Talon's words that there's something between us at all.
CHAPTER NINE
TALON
"Can you show me exactly where?"
Leo follows Arizona with a small camera in his hand as she leads him out of the small clearing where the camp she set up with her friend just a few days ago remains mostly intact even after the rangers and Salvation County sheriff deputies went through it.
